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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.4

(No Model.)

' A, GROSSLEY. APPARATUS FOR PRODUGING OXIDS.

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l A. CROSSLBY. i APPARATUS P0P PRODUGING oXI'Ds.

Patented neA/zlgll.V

@Af/271W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ATKINSON cRossLE-v, on owMAvoN, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR PRDUCING OXIDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,459, dated December 25, 1894.

Application filed June 22, 1894s Serial No. 515,421. (No model.) Patented in England July 28, 1891, No. 12,813. .i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ATKINSON CRossLEv, manufacturing chemist,A a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Cwmavou, in the county of Monmouth, England, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Producing Ferroferric and Ferric Oxids, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. l2,8l3, bearing date VJuly 28, 1891,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for producing ferroferric and ferric oxides, in which powdered saltsfrom which such oxides are to be obtained are submitted to heat in retorts, and the object of my improvement is to economize time and labor by rendering the process continuous, and to reduce the cost of the manufacture.

By my present invention I use heated hollow cylinders or tubes of metal, such as steel, or other suitable material, inclined at an angle so that the powdered salt can be fed in at the upper end of one cylinder (which is made to revolve continuously upon its axis) and slowly descends to the lower end, whence it passes into theupper end of a similar revolving cylinder inclined at the lopposite angle,

y down which it passes to a discharge opening,

or to the upper end of a third cylinder inclined in the same direction as the first one, and so on successively through as manycylinders as are necessary to complete the oxidation of the salts. v

My improvedapparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a transverse section through a furnace. Fig. II is a front viewy of the same. Fig. III is a longitudinal section through the center of the furnace, and Fig. IV is a horizontal section through the line m y, in Fig. III. Fig. V is a longitudinal section showing a slight modification of the method of construction shown in Fig. III.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through out the several views.

a is the furnace, and b b the end walls of the same, in which are made openings through which"pass the ends vof the revolving tubes. These tubes are shown inthree sets side by side, each containing four tubes arranged one feeding apparatus.

than at the back, and into this front open endY the powdered salts or materials are fed gradually in through the hopper e or other suitable They then pass along and down to the other or lower end ofthe tube whence they are directed bya hopper or guide f into the open back end of the next tube c lwhich' is higher than its front end. The salt or material accordingly passes along and down this tube and out at its front end into the hopper or guide f which directs it into the front higher end of the next tube c2 after` passing down which it is directed by the hop Aper f2 into the back end of the lowest tube c3, down which it passes and is finally delivered through the open end of the latter into a delivery chute or pipe g, the front end of which may be closed by a movable door. (Not shown in the drawings.)

The tubes c are made to revolve slowly in the bearings d, in order that the salts in them may be thoroughly and uniformly acted upon and may be caused to pass along and down them as described. For this purpose the front ends of the tubes are shown .provided with toothed wheels, those vupon the tubes c, and c being driven by an intermediate wheel h, itself driven by the tangent toothed wheel t' pand screw and shaft cby steam or other power, the wheel upon c driving that upon c2 and the latter driving by an intermediate wheel h that upon the lowest tube c3.

' The revolving cylinders-may be of any suit- .able diameter and length, and are preferably regulated quantities to effect the oxidation, and the acid vapor and gases being conveyed away to a tunnel or acid chamber` or tower.

The tubes as they revolve are exposed to the heat in the furnace which I prefer to tire by means of fireplaces Z, l, arranged across the length of the tubes, and one or more of which may be used.

Any desired number of the revolving tubes may be used in the furnaces described.

The openings above described for the admission of air or steam, and for conveying away the acid vapor and gases are not shown in the drawings which accompany my present specification, as they may be arranged in any part or parts of the apparatus which may be most convenient.

Instead of the toothed wheels shown the tubes may be driven by friction gear, chain wheels, or other equivalent means.

In Fig. V, the revolving tubes c, c', c2, instead of being exposed to the direct heat of the furnace are shown surrounded with a easing m of tireclay or other material suiiiciently refractory to heat, the inside of the casing m being at a suiicient distance from the outside of the tube to prevent it from interfering with the free revolution of the latter, while its outside is exposed to the heat of the furnace. In this way a perfectly even, uniform, and steady heat is communicated to the revolving tubes and their contents, and the product 0btained is of the highest and most uniform character. By my present invention the process is continuous and the oxidation of the salts is effectively and uniformly carried ou, and at little cost, as most of the labor ordinarily required cau be dispensed with.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination with a furnace having double front and back walls, of inclined tubes extending through the two inner walls and opening into the space between the two walls at the ends of the furnace, an outer casing m inclosing said tubes, bearings d for the ends of the tubes, toothed wheels upon the front ends of the tubes meshing with each other and also with idle toothed wheels between the said ends of the tubes, means for driving the said toothed wheels to rotate the tubes, and funnel-shaped lloppers between the double walls of the furnace communicating with the ends of the tubes, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses. ATKINSON CROSSLEY. Witnesses:

ALEX. RIDGWAY,

Noti". Pub. ARTHUR E. EDWARDS,

Patent Agent, London. 

